A variety of different types of products and devices utilize a hinged gate to control the ingress and egress of people or items through an entryway. For example, utility vehicles, including trucks, small wheeled carts, and trailers, may utilize a hinged gate, such as, for example, a tailgate, to act as a barrier to control the entry and removal of items from a storage bed of the vehicle. Further, for example, storage devices, containers, and compartments, including, for example, tool boxes, may include a hinged gate, such as, for example, a hinged door or panel, to control access to, or removal of, items contained within the associated storage device.
The positioning and/or orientation of the hinged gate may, at least in part, be controlled through the operation of a latch mechanism. More specifically, latch mechanisms may be configured to secure and/or retain the hinged gate in a closed or latched position, as well as control the releasing of the hinged gate from the latched position. When in the latched position, the hinged gate may be secured in an orientation that prevents or otherwise hinders the entry or removal of items or people past the hinged gate.
For at least certain applications, multiple latch mechanisms may be required to independently secure the hinged gate in, as well as control the release of the hinged gate from, the latched position. For example, tailgates for certain types of vehicles are required to be secured in the latched position by multiple, independently operated, latch mechanisms. In such circumstances, the operation of the latch mechanisms often is controlled using connecting linkages, such as cables and rods, that connect a handle to the latching mechanism. Often, such linkages are positioned in a cavity of the hinged gate that is provided by the addition of a cover to the hinged gate. Yet, the associated connecting linkages and related componentry used to operate such latch mechanisms, as well as the inclusion of a cover for the hinged gate, if needed, may increase the number of components and complexity of both the hinged door and the associated latch mechanism.